


Brothers in Arms

by a_lanart



Series: Myth and Magic [9]
Category: Highlander: The Series, Merlin (BBC)
Genre: Community: consci_fan_mo, Crossover, Episode Related, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-29
Updated: 2010-01-29
Packaged: 2017-10-06 19:48:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/57151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_lanart/pseuds/a_lanart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Methos comes to Camelot in the dead of night, there has to be a reason - and probably one which Gaius will not like.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brothers in Arms

**Author's Note:**

> Casting Spoiler for Merlin S2 ep 9: The Lady of the Lake

**Title**: Brothers in Arms  
**Author**: A Lanart  
**Character(s)/pairings**: Gaius, Methos, Silas  
**Fandom and/or Prompt:** Highlander/Merlin. No prompt  
**Rating**: G  
**Warnings**: None  
**Disclaimer**: Gaius belongs to the BBC. Methos and Silas belong to Panzer/Davis productions

Written for consci_fan_mo on LJ

~*~

Brothers in Arms

*

It was still full dark when Gaius heard the main door to his chambers open and close quietly, though not quietly enough for him to miss the characteristic creak of the hinges.

"Merlin?" He called out, somewhat tentatively; he hadn't been expecting Merlin to return so soon, not after the task his young charge had set himself.

"Not Merlin, though I could do with some of his skills tonight," came the low-voiced reply. Gaius was immediately on the alert; when this man came sneaking in under cover of darkness could only mean one thing – trouble. His suspicion was confirmed as he noticed the familiar figure was shrouded in a dark cloak, the hood only pushed back far enough to enable Gaius to easily recognise him.

"Methos," Gaius acknowledged, and received a glare for it. "Matteus. What do you want?"

"More of a who… Remember the bounty hunter?"

"Halig? He was immortal?" Methos – Matteus, Gaius reminded himself sternly – inclined his head gravely, his expression as bleak as Gaius had ever seen it. "And I would surmise he was not just 'any' immortal either, by the look on your face."

"No, he wasn't just any immortal. He was my brother. Silas." Gaius stumbled and sat down hurriedly. Of all the things he had expected, this had not been one of them. Was his friend going to turn back to his old life?

"I thought… Are you?" Gaius stuttered, cursing himself for an old fool. Methos crouched beside him and offered him the cup of water from the table. Gaius drank it gratefully, his mouth inexplicably dry all of a sudden.

"Rest assured, my friend," Methos whispered. "The Horsemen are not going to ride again; not in your lifetime. However I do need your help."

"What can *I* do that you can't manage ten times more quickly yourself?"

"You can tell me where he is buried; I can't sense him when he's dead and all I want to do is get him away from this place, this life and ensure he has the chance to start again without the temptation of power to distract him."

"Are you sure that's possible?"

"It worked for me, didn't it?"

"Perhaps. But you are exceptional by all accounts." Gaius meant every word, and was surprised by the low chuckle from the vicinity of his knee. He was even more surprised when careful fingers traced the old and faded tattoo on the inside of his left wrist, the remnant of a near-forgotten life.

"Oh Gaius. You were always buried up to your nose in the most obscure of texts. Did it never occur to you that I might have *written* some of them?"

"Of course it occurred to me; I'm not stupid you know. It was what *wasn't* said that told more of your story than you might have wished. Don't forget, I do have a modicum of skill in certain areas myself."

"I hadn't forgotten. In fact I was hoping…"

"You sneak into Camelot in the dead of night to disinter your immortal Brother in Arms and you expect me to use *magic* to find him? Are you mad?"

"Maybe. But I still want him found."

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I don't need to use magic for that. Come with me." Gaius grabbed his own cloak and swept out of the door without checking if Methos was following; they didn't have much time. "I hope you have a shovel as well as a sword under that cloak; you're going to need one."

Gaius shivered under his cloak; his bones were getting far too old to be spending any length of time outside on a cold and damp night but in this case he had deemed it necessary as his presence might deflect a more thorough investigation into what might at first glance appear to be grave-robbing. The fact that the body that had been exhumed was not going to stay dead just made the situation all the more uncomfortable. He started as Methos let the shovel fall to the ground and dashed over to Halig's side; obviously the other immortal was about to revive. Gaius watched carefully, wondering if he would see a different side of the man he had called friend for most of his life.

As Halig – Gaius found he couldn't comfortably think of him as Silas – drew his first breath of life-returned, his hand shot out to grasp Methos by the wrist.

"Brother," he rumbled. "I knew you would come for me."

"Then you knew better than I," Methos replied. "Give me a few moments, and we shall be on our way." Reassuringly, Gaius didn't see anything that concerned him, and gave Methos a tight smile and a nod when the shovel was returned. He felt his smile relax and widen as Methos grasped his shoulder.

"Goodbye, Methos," Gaius said; he didn't expect to see Methos again, not after these events and he wasn't sure he *wanted* to see Methos again. There was such a thing as too many reminders of ones past.

"Take care, my friend, of yourself and young Merlin."

"You know I will."

"I know." Methos turned away then, to once more grasp his brother's arm. Together, they walked into the sunrise and Gaius tried to convince himself that it was just the glare of the early morning sunlight that made his eyes water. He didn't succeed.


End file.
